Imagination and Narratives in Preaching
C. S. Lewis and the rhetorical function of homiletical
illustrations in imaginative apologetic sermons
Ole Vinther
University Oslo
Contents
1 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 3
2 Theory................................................................................................................................. 7
2.1 Imagination, preaching and imaginative apologetics.................................................. 7
2.2 Rhetoric and poetics .................................................................................................... 9
2.3 Rhetoric and homiletical illustrations........................................................................ 12
3 C. S. Lewis: A rational and an imaginative writer and speaker........................................ 15
4 C. S. Lewis on imagination and narratives ....................................................................... 20
4.1 Before something can be either true or false, it must mean ...................................... 20
4.2 The first, faint whisper of the wind from beyond the world...................................... 24
4.3 Exploring, experiencing and seeing reality and the Christian faith........................... 28
4.4 An eductive rhetoric of the world beyond ................................................................. 31
5 The homiletical illustrations in two sermons of C. S. Lewis............................................ 35
5.1 «Transposition» ......................................................................................................... 36
5.2 «The Weight of Glory».............................................................................................. 40
5.3 Comments on rhetorical and homiletical theory of illustrations ............................... 45
6 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 47
Bibliography............................................................................................................................. 51